As She Falls
by KittentheCat
Summary: Aerith promised that she would return to them but when Lillian Highwind arrives in Hollow Bastion she doesn't plan on falling for the Gun-Blade wielding warrior. Rated M for mature themes.


**I only own Lillian.**

Cid Highwind, the ever cursing chain smoker, sat at his faithful computer, claiming to be watching the surveillance videos of the streets of Hollow Bastion but instead stared at smoke trailing lazily from the end of his cigarette.

Merlin's house, commandeered for the Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee headquarters, was surprising quiet to say that Yuffie was in fact inside, sat next to Aerith at the old wooden table. Cloud stood, as silent and deadly as ever, leaning against the wall near the door.

When Leon, formerly Squall Leonhart, entered the house without being attacked by a ninja prank or sneak attack he knew something was wrong.  
>"Has something happened?" Leon asked, as professional as ever, he strode over to table, his gunblade strapped to his back.<p>

"Yeah a long time ago." Yuffie mumbled resting her chin on the table and staring into the lemonade that Aerith had in fact made with salt.  
>Leon raised an eyebrow at Aerith, hoping she could shed some light on the situation.<br>"It the birthday of our friend today." she told him, sliding him a glass of the salt-lemonade which he took politely, even though he knew he wouldn't drink it.

Opening his mouth to reply the brunette warrior was it short by the guff voice of the ex-pilot.  
>"Mah little baby," Cid grumbled, his cigarette hanging between his lips, "she'd be twenty-two today."<p>

Leon glanced over the saddened faces occupying the room, other the Cloud whose stoney expression remainder so. Cid coughed, his cigarette staying out through experience, as he rubbed his stubble and went back to watching the smoke drift, his mind far away.  
>Leon frowned, as he did so often, confused that Cid could even conceive such as somber mood as so often he was simply angry.<p>

"Don't worry Cid," Aerith soft voice filtered through the air like a ray of sunshine to the depressed occupants, "She'll be here soon, you'll see."

The blonde man sighed as he stubbed his dead cigarette on one of Merlin's side table before instantly pulling a new one from his lips and lighting it, "I wa' happy w'en ya' cam' back Aerith, ya' know I was and you're usually rate bout the future and shit but ah jus' don' think-" Cid paused rubbing a large coarse hand over his ageing face, "she cun'ta survived it, now enough gabbin' ya lazy kids! Spikey, it's your patrol. Brat get fetching them new arrivals an' find 'em homes. Leon get ta the castle, ah need some blueprints fo' the town. Aerith ah want more tea please."

Yuffie jumped up, knocking the table over, "Who you calling a brat you old geezer?"  
>Cid turned in his chair to retaliate but Leon, as collected as ever, stopped the confrontation by bidding farewell and dragging the hyperactive ninja with him, who cursed as she was dragged away from the ex-pilot. Cloud following them to leave for his patrol.<p>

Aerith rose to her feet walking over to control system to take Cid's cup, "Trust me Cid, she'll be here soon."  
>Cid's blue eyes focused on the screen in front of him, "Don't get mah hopes up."<p>

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Once they had gotten a safe distance from the house for Yuffie not run back and kill Cid like she threatened, Leon let go of the little ninja.

Yuffie stretched her arms high before spinning on spot, "I can't wait to see Lilly!"

Leon raised an eyebrow, not asking any questions because he knew that the hyperactive little one would tell him everything anyway.

"I mean having her for a daughter was the only thing the old git had going for him." Yuffie blabbered as she began stretching her arms above her head, "We all thought she had died when the heartless ate our world but then when Cloud showed up he told us that he'd seen her in the coliseum, but Cid didn't believe him until Aerith said that Lilly would find her way to us soon."

Leon could see the older man's logic, whereas Cloud's brain had a tendency to be frazzled and disoriented, Aerith always knew was happening or going to happen in a creeping comforting way.

With a shake of his head and a nod goodbye, Leon left for the castle and Yuffie left for the new arrivals.

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Lillian leaned back in her seat on the gummi ship, she crossed her legs and rested her feet on the seat opposite which earned a scowl from one of the women on board who had just scolded her child for the action.

Lillian glanced down, trying to focus on the book in her lap but the movement of the spaceship make it difficult, with a sigh she gave up, shoving the novel in her rucksack before tugging some of her rebellious long brown hair, which she inherited from her mother, behind her ear.

She couldn't help but smile, it had been so long since she had seen her father or friends, apart from Cloud who she had seen a glimpse of at the coliseum and hoped he had left what she called 'psycho-mode' back at the coliseum.

The gummi ship vibrated and jolted as it landed. Lillian stood, throwing her backpack over one shoulder as she sauntered of the plane in her baggy white-shirt and blue jeans, her engineer style clothing a habit she had picked up from helping her dad work on planes as a child. A loud, commanding voice echoed with excitement around the gummi hanger, "Right! Everybody follow meeeee ~ !"

Lillian smiled to herself, her blues eyes, a copy of her fathers, sparkled with happiness as she caught sight of the excitable little ninja bouncing around in front of the crowd of people. Waiting until Yuffie had divided the crowds into groups and gave the responsibility of finding them homes to some men that obviously respected the ninja nuisance.

"Lilly!" Yuffie squealed, her loud voice echoing around the gummi hanger as she dove onto her long-lost friend with what she called 'The Ninja Hug'.

Lillian laughed as she was tackled back onto the floor, the excited ninja sat on her stomach her arms wound tightly about Lillian's neck.

"Hey Yuffs," she choked out as she struggled to pry herself free.  
>"Aerith said you'd be here soon!" Yuffie declared loudly, letting go of the brunettes neck, "The old geezer was noooo and I was like Yeeeeah -"<p>

"Yuffs, can I stop you there?"

The ninja looked down at her friend who was still pinned to the floor.  
>"Sure! What's up?" she asked<br>"Get the hell offa me!" Lillian snapped.

Yuffie jumped back, spinning in a circle when she landed and her hands landing firmly on her hips, "See! You even act like that old geezer! And you dress like him!" Yuffie pointed at the rising woman accusingly, "You wanna stop that now before you're too far gone."

Lillian dusted herself off before lifting her bag and shrugging it back onto her shoulder.  
>"So, Yuffs…Is my dad okay?" Lillian asked, playing with her hair, a nervous habit she had developed, trying to force herself to strengthen her will in case it was bad news.<br>Yuffie clicked her fingers, as though having a realisation, before snatching Lillian's wrist and dragging her off, "The old geezer's as bitchy as ever! Come and see everyone!"

Lillian shook her head as she jogged to keep up with her had that was being dragged away. The pair disposed of any heartless they came across with ease, especially since Lillian had been training in the coliseum.

The pair approached a cottage-style house, Yuffie seeming to get more excited as they got closer. Yuffie stepped forward, raising her leg and kicking the door in. A stream of colourful and creative cursed that could have only come from her father filtered out into the street.

"Meet the Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee!" Yuffie announced from her position in the doorway, her arms outstretched.  
>Lillian shook her head and stepped forwards, past the ninja, into the house, her gaze instantly settling on the familiar much-missed form of her father at a giant computer. Lillian's smile brightened when Cid's mouth hung open, his cigarette dangling out on his lip about to fall.<br>Glancing around the room the young woman's gaze roamed over Cloud, who was stood against the wall with Tifa pestering him, a grey haired man with a tall blue hat was leaning over a large book on a stand, an attractive brunette man with a scar diagonally between his eyes sat at the table. Lillian glanced around, hearing pans move in the kitchen as Aerith came from the kitchen.

Cid's cigarette fell to the ground as Aerith stepped forward and pulled Lillian into a hug.  
>"You took you're time," Aerith smiled as she released Lillian, the latter stepping towards her dad, glancing down at the cigarette before crushing it under her boot.<p>

"You were supposed to stop that." Lillian scolded, crossing her arms.  
>Cid grinned, slipping another out of his pack, lighting it and putting it between his lips, "You were s'pposed to get here faster, you enjoy making an old man worry?"<p>

Lillian shook her head before leaning down, since her dad was sat, and wrapping her arms around him briefly before kissing his cheek and righting herself.  
>"Nice to see you again Cloud," Lillian smiled, "You're looking saner then at the coliseum."<br>The blonde's eyebrow quirked slightly, a sign Lillian had come to register as mild amusement for her antics.  
>"Tifa." Lillian nodded in greeting and the woman nodded back. Though Lillian had attempted to make a friendship form between them Tifa was not interested since she saw Lillian and Cloud's friendship as a threat.<p>

"Nice to meet you," The grey haired man said as he adjusted his blue cap and cape, "I'm Merlin, this is my house."  
>"Ignore 'im," Cid grumbled, "Full ah shit with his magic!"<br>"Look here you-" Merlin started, disrupted by Yuffie jumping in front of Lillian and in the process knocking Merlin over.

"Lilly this is Squall!" Yuffie announced, her arm swinging around to motion to the scarred brunette man at the table.  
>The man's eyebrow twitched, "The name is Leon."<br>"Nice to meet you Leon." Lillian smiled as she adjusted the sword strapped to her hip.

"There aren't any more rooms here I'm afraid," Aerith told them as she wiped her hands on her apron, "Leon would you mind sparing Lillian a room at your house until she is on her feet?"  
>Annoyance flashed across Leon's face for barely a moment before he nodded.<p>

"Good," Aerith smiled as she clapped her hands, "Won't you show Lillian her room while I finish dinner?"  
>Leon nodded, rising to a stand and pulling on his back what looked like, to Lillian, a baby of a gun and sword.<br>With a wave to everyone and a blown kiss to her father, Lillian followed Leon out of Merlin's house and into the street.  
>Cid watched his little girl leave before turning slightly in his chair to face Aerith, "Somethin' ye know that ah should?"<br>Aerith smiled, watching as Yuffie cartwheeled out the door, Cloud just behind when he realised she had stolen some of his items.  
>"It's going to be hard at points," Aerith smiled as she turned to the blonde ex-pilot, "But they'll get through it."<p>

Cid took a deep drag from his cigarette, his features heavy with thought. He had just gotten his little girl back and not Aerith was hinting that his Lillian was going to get romantic, seemingly with Leon, in the future. Cid smirked; poor guy probably wouldn't survive the week.

**Like the characters? Review please? **


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